Boston Chronicles: 2 The Duchess of Venice
by Daze243
Summary: Jane and Maura go on holiday, but its not all plain sailing.
1. Chapter 1

**Please read Boston Chronicles: 1. Doctor Who? before reading this story, this is the second part of the series and will not make much sense otherwise. **

**I do not own anything or anyone present in this story **

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"I've got a surprise for you" Maura had almost bounded into the lounge making Jane jump and nearly drop her bear. After composing herself and wiping the residual spillage from her front, she turned and gave Maura her full attention.

"Sounds ominous" Jane replied, with some apprehension due to Maura's clear enthusiasm. She knew it probably meant the end to her relaxing mother-free weekend.

Maura fell gracefully next to Jane on the couch and absentmindedly took Jane's hand in hers. "Well I want you to guess" Jane pulled her 'really' face causing Maura to smile widely. "Okay, okay Jane. I will give you some clues. It begins with 'V' and you may have to pack a Gondola", this caused Jane to laugh audibly; Maura had actually just made a joke.

Jane blinked at Maura through the tears of laughter, "Gondola? Okay I'll guess. Are we going on a boat somewhere?" Jane regained her composure; she looked at Maura who was clearly trying to hold back the laughter herself. Jane wracked her brain for what it could be. Maura hadn't answered her yet; she reasoned this was probably due to the presence of her 'thinking face', as Maura called it. For some reason a previous conversation the two of them had had popped into her head. It was the day after Maura had woken up and they were discussing where they would go on holiday if there was no work and no financial limitations. Jane had thought for a long time and settled on Venice, she had always wanted to go there. But surely Maura hadn't remembered what she had said, she was very high on morphine at the time and had actually suggested going to Lapland to visit Santa. She turned to Maura, her face relaxing and her thinking over. "I think I have an idea" Maura raised an eyebrow and smiled at Jane's omission. Jane took this as a challenge and her confidence in her conclusion flourished. "I think you've done something drastic and spent a lot of money".

On hearing this, Maura visibly huffed. Jane had figured her out clearly. She sat back far too pleased with herself and waited for Maura to confirm her suspicions.

"Well, I haven't spent A LOT of money", Jane couldn't help but smile when Maura crossed her arms. It was rare that Jane out smarted her so she wanted to savour the moment. Jane leant forward and wrestled Maura's hand back into hers, smiling warmly.

"Come on then, out with it" Jane emphasised her words with a light squeeze of Maura's hand and waited patiently for a reply.

"Okay Jane, how would you feel about going away for a few weeks before you go back to work?" Maura looked unsure as she spoke, Jane didn't understand why.

"Sounds interesting, where too?" Jane was pretty sure she already knew the answer but let Maura have her moment revealing the surprise.

"I hope I remembered rightly but I'm sure you said you had always wanted to go to Venice, so I took the initiative and booked flights and a hotel for two weeks in the centre of the city" for some reason actually hearing Maura reveal the location of the trip caused excitement to well up inside Jane, it was moments like this she fell in love with Maura all over again. The Woman sat before her, anxiously clinging to Jane's hands and looking into her eyes for a sign of approval. She was truly the most thoughtful and generous person Jane had ever met, this was one of the many countless reasons Jane could list explaining why Jane had fallen uncontrollably for her.

Jane decided to put her out of her misery, "I think that it's a wonderful idea". Jane barely finished talking before Maura had leapt onto her, wrapping her arms round her neck. Jane quickly reciprocated, being this close to Maura was intoxicating and she reasoned this was probably how Maura had felt when she was in hospital and high as a kite.

"I am so relieved. I was worried I hadn't remembered correctly" Maura almost whispered in Jane's ear, causing her to shiver with the proximity. As Maura finally released Jane and let back, Jane caught her wincing with a pained expression. Jane was standing up and in the kitchen before Maura had chance to question. Jane went straight for the medicine cabinet, retrieving a dose of painkillers and a glass of water. She moved quickly back into the living room, where Maura was waiting with a confused look on her face. Jane didn't sit back down but held her hand out signalling for Maura to take it.

"Where are we going?" Maura quizzed Jane, but taking her hand without further question. Jane helped her to stand even though she didn't really need the help. Jane led her to the bedroom motioning, still without word, for Maura to sit on the bed. Jane looked at Maura with a stern look on her face; she crossed her arms and paused before speaking.

"You need to tell me if it still hurts" Jane handed Maura the painkillers, who reluctantly took them.

"I am fine Jane, I just had a twinge" Maura took the pills quickly, she was far to use to taking them now. Jane shook her head slightly.

"The doctor said to let him know if it still hurt at all" Jane knew she was probably going to lose this argument; Maura would undoubtedly play the medical degree card.

"I am fine Jane, Look we need to pack. We're leaving the day after tomorrow" Jane couldn't accuse Maura of being anything but eager.

"Of course we are, well you are going to sit right there whilst I pack the bags" Maura went to protest but Jane sshed her quickly. "Sit and tell me what you want to take" Jane set about opening closets and looking through her own clothes. "But first things first, where do you keep the suitcases?"

…

Maura watched Jane busy herself, packing the clothes she suggested. Maura smiled at Jane's attention to detail when folding Maura's clothes carefully. It has been comfortably silent since Maura had given Jane a list of things to do, on Jane's insistence of course.

It had been three months since she was stabbed. Maura knew there was absolutely no medical reason for her pain, her surgeon had assured her she was fully healed. Maura had come to the conclusion that her pain was purely psychosomatic. After many hours of internal pondering, she had concluded the incessant pain in her abdomen was due to psychological reasons. But there were only two things that Maura was worrying about consistently; 1) the usual concerns when endeavoring into a new romantic relationship, and 2) the basic fact that they had been together now for three months and Jane had made no attempt to take their relationship to the next level. Maura had spent many an hour thinking about why Jane would not want to.

A number of reasons had come to the forefront of Maura's mind; maybe Jane was just scared, Maura knew that Jane had never been very forthcoming on the intimacy front. On the other hand, Maura knew she was becoming one of those women that feared her partner didn't find her physically attractive. Maura had always been confident in her appearance, well until three months ago. Ever since that night, Maura had had an underlying feeling of being damaged in some way.

As she sat there on the bed watching Jane muddle on with the task at hand, she ran a hand along her abdomen. Even through her sweater she could feel it, a ragged rough strip of skin running for the length of her abdomen. She ran her hand along it; the incision from her surgery had healed neatly and without infection. What Maura was more concerned about was the rough bit, she could remember the feeling of the knife going in and being pulled out; she knew it was a feeling she would never forget no matter how much the scar faded.

Would Jane really be affected by the presence of this ugly reminder of what happened? Maybe, it had been traumatic for both of them.

This was not just a scar; Maura knew Jane felt responsible for what happened to both of them, no matter how many times she reassured her. Maybe Maura was now just a reminder of what Jane saw as a failure and the worst time of her life.

Maura visibly shook her head at this, the next few weeks were going to be a time for the both of them to work through any negative emotions still lingering from their ordeal. Maura would not be spending the time worrying about her potential inadequacies and concentrate on Jane. The one thing Maura was not at all concerned about was how she felt about Jane; in all her life she had never felt such deep feelings for someone. Maura chuckled quietly to herself, maybe she had the scar to thank for getting nearly everything she ever wanted and if the whole thing had never happened maybe they would still just be Rizzoli and Isles instead of Jane and Maura.

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**Please review :) this story will get more exciting but is more concentrating on the Jane/Maura dynamic and their recovery after the first installment. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Quite a long one now, hope its okay. **

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There was one thing that Jane definitely did not like about traveling and that was Airports. She didn't like queuing and waiting endlessly and being constantly bombarded and bumped into by other weary travelers.

However, on this particular day Jane was far more concerned with Maura. Ever since they had started packing Jane had insisted Maura do absolutely nothing. As they made their way through the airport now Jane was carrying all the bags and all the documentation, she could tell Maura was feeling pretty surplus to requirements, dragging her heels and constantly trying to help.

They finally made their way to the check in counter and to Jane's surprise Maura forcibly took the details and the passports from Jane and ordered her to wait just out of earshot. Jane looked on whilst Maura spoke with the woman behind the desk. Every now and then she would gesture towards Jane and the more she did this the more Jane realized Maura probably had another surprise up her sleeve. She didn't have time to ponder this more when she realized Maura was now gesturing to her instead of at her. Jane quickly brought the bags over and loaded them onto the belt to be whisked off to their plane. Maura quickly thanked the woman and snapped up the boarding passes before Jane had a chance.

A familiar feeling of impatience returned to Jane when they were waiting in the line for security, it seemed like an eternity. Maura was resting her head on Jane's shoulder and took her hand in hers.

"I really hate Airports" Jane finally groaned. She felt Maura squeeze her hand and smile as she remained leaning on her shoulder.

"I hadn't noticed Jane, you've haven't been fidgeting like an impatient five year old at all" Maura replied quietly seemingly not at all bothered by the long wait.

They spent the rest of the time in silence, finally reaching the front of the queue and passing through security without incident. Jane looked at Maura, regarding her thoughtfully. She looked tired with bags under her eyes and a drop in her posture. She had not been her fully exuberant self since her injury. Jane suddenly felt guilty again, she knew Maura didn't blame her but that didn't stop her.

She took action and ushered Maura to a row of empty seats, putting the bags down and directing her to sit. "We've got ages yet, want me to get you a coffee or something?" Jane waited expectantly for Maura to answer her.

"I can come with you Jane, I am not an invalid" Jane was surprised at Maura's choice of words; clearly she was being far too protective of Maura.

"I just want you to relax, you're paying for everything. I feel like I should do something to show how much I appreciate how generous and amazing you are" Jane knew she was being clever in what she was saying and Maura would probably give in to her.

"Okay Jane, in that case a coffee would be lovely. You know how I like it" Maura offered Jane a wide smile, she smiled back even more enthusiastically and set off towards the smell of coffee with a sense of victory.

Just before Jane reached the cafe she paused, someone had caught her eye. Across the airport there was a man, in plain clothes, intently reading a newspaper. He wasn't acting suspiciously or standing out in any way but he still troubled Jane. She was sure she had seen him somewhere before but could not place him at all. This also troubled Jane, ever since her amnesia she had had some difficulty recalling facts quickly; she hadn't mentioned this to Maura, she knew it would just cause worry.

Before Jane had chance to finally recall the mystery man, she was almost knocked over when someone walked straight into her. That was very nearly the last straw for Jane; she regained her balance and turned quickly to give this careless individual a piece of her mind.

To her surprise the woman was kneeling on the floor, scrambling to pick up several paper documents she had dropped. Jane felt herself kneeling also; she reasoned she was a far too decent individual for her own good sometimes.

"I am so sorry, I didn't see you. I was absolutely miles away" the woman had a faint European accent, Maura could have probably identified its country of origin but Jane was far less traveled. Jane could see the woman was being entirely genuine so her resolve softened.

"It's okay; I was just stood still in the middle of everyone. Here" Jane handed the woman her passport and boarding pass, which she had also dropped in their collision. She quickly looked at it, taking in the destination and flight number with her fast detective brain. "You're off to Venice? Me too" the woman smiled widely at Jane, obviously realizing there were no hard feelings.

"Excellent, it's a wonderful place I'm sure you'll have lots of fun" the woman took her passport and ticket back, nodding in thanks. Jane continued to chat with the woman with some ease; she had no idea why she was still stood there. She had completely forgotten about the mystery man, the mystery woman before her was more intriguing with her strange accent and clumsy skittish ways. Jane also entirely forgot about her mission for coffee, leaving Maura waiting.

….

Maura had waited twenty minutes before leaving her seat and heading off to search for a tardy Jane. It did not take her long to find her and to Maura's surprise she wasn't alone. She paused for a moment; something wasn't quite right with this picture.

The woman Jane was talking to was far too close to her for Maura's liking. Before she became overcome with jealousy she stopped herself and realized she was being ridiculous. Jane probably knew the woman from somewhere before she had met Maura. Just as she had convinced herself of the woman's ties to Jane something shocked her. The woman had reached over to Jane and touched her hand; to any other person this would not seem irregular, but Jane wasn't regular. Her hands were more of an issue of trust than what they were actually meant for. Jane did not pull away subtly like she did when people came close to her, Jane must really know this woman. Maura found her mind wondering again, exactly how well did Jane know this woman? Maura was going to find out.

As Maura made her way towards the pair, it seemed like the mystery woman knew she was coming and within seconds she had bid her goodbyes and moved off leaving Jane to get back to her task. Maura caught up with her quickly and didn't hesitate to begin her inquiries.

"Who was that Jane?" she didn't want to come off passive-aggressive but she realized quickly that how she actually sounded was quite angry.

"Who? Oh the woman I was just talking too? I just bumped into her, she's on our flight", Maura could tell Jane was speaking with a slight hesitation in her voice; she had obviously picked up on Maura's agitation.

"Where do you know her from?" Maura tried to calm her voice this time, trying to sound interested instead of insane.

"Nowhere, I don't know her. She literally bumped into me and dropped all her stuff everywhere" Jane raised her hands mimicking what happened.

"Oh okay, you just looked like you knew her from somewhere", Maura didn't want to linger on the subject too much, having already probably embarrassed herself.

She went to move off towards the cafe when she felt Jane grab her arm. "You're Jealous aren't you?" Maura could see Jane smiling, clearly finding the whole situation amusing. Maura just did her best fake annoyed pout and folded her arms. "I can't actually believe it, I've made the great Dr Maura Isles jealous" Jane laughed and took Maura into a full hug, holding her closely. Maura felt better immediately, these moments of complete closeness with Jane were far too rare for her liking and she savored it.

"I am not Jealous I just want to know where my coffee is Jane", at her omission she felt Jane pull away, Maura clung on tightly for a few moments longer before releasing her.

"Come on then, we've got to get to the gate soon", Jane took her hand and the both of them carried on their way without a second thought of the mystery woman.

….

Half hour later, Maura and Jane were heading down the gangway to take their seats on the plane. Maura decided now was the time to reveal her second surprise.

"Jane, I have another surprise for you" Maura finally said, they didn't stop walking to speak as they followed the crowd towards the plane.

"I thought so, you were being very sneaky earlier" Jane took Maura's hand again as she spoke, causing her to smile as an instinctive reaction.

"Well, not sneaky enough obviously. I thought I would treat us again, we have had quite a taxing year so far and I wanted this holiday to just be absolutely perfect" Maura felt reluctant to reveal her second surprise, she didn't want Jane to think she was being to extravagant. "I took the liberty of booking us two first class seats on the outgoing flight" she spoke quickly as they were nearing the plane. Jane paused for a few seconds; Maura could see she was excited.

"You haven't? Maura, that's really too much. Promise me there are no more expensive surprises", Maura knew not to flaunt her money too much, well any more than she already had.

"I promise there are no more surprises of any kind" they parted hands on reaching the door of the plane, showing their tickets and being directed to their rather large cushioned seats.

Maura was just getting comfy when Jane took her seat next to her and leant in to speak. "I'm glad there are no more surprises; I think we've had enough of them for a lifetime, don't you?" Jane smiled as she spoke, which was rare when she was clearly talking about what had happened. They had settled in with their complimentary champagne and orange juice when a woman, clearly flustered and running late, moved hastily through the cabin and plopped down in her seat across the aisle from Jane and Maura. Maura didn't take much notice of the late arrival until she started talking to Jane.

Maura looked across Jane, who was leaning toward the woman listening to everything she said. Maura sat back and couldn't help overhearing their conversation.

"Imagine seeing you here", Maura visibly rolled her eyes at what the woman said; if Maura wasn't mistaken this woman was trying to flirt with Jane. Now, Maura didn't even pretend to understand the complexities of forming social relationships but she was definitely not mistaken. She carried on listening, pausing when the woman finally asked who Jane was traveling with.

To Maura's surprise, Jane turned to her without hesitation catching her listening. Jane lent back and gestured towards Maura, "this is Maura, my girlfriend" Jane was obviously unaware of the woman's attempt to flirt. The woman was clearly shocked by Jane's introduction but quickly regained her composure and introduced herself to Maura.

"Sorry for distracting Jane, I'm Anna" the woman had hints of an Italian accent in her voice, diluted by a typical thick Bostonian accent. Maura merely smiled and nodded in acknowledgement. Anna must have taken her formal response as a sign to back off as she sat back in her seat and didn't bother them anymore.

As the plane took off, Jane lent her head on Maura's shoulder and without much thought began running her hand up and down Maura's arm. At that particular moment Maura was completely content, not only was she heading to her favorite city with her favorite person but also that favorite person had just revealed their relationship to a complete stranger, something which Jane had been more than hesitant to do after they first got together. Jane was finally becoming confident with being open to people about their relationship, she might even reveal it to Angela someday. Maura smiled discreetly at this thought, that day will probably be the most stressful day of her life and nothing to worry about at this moment. So Maura closed her eyes and fell asleep. Leaving Boston and their ordeal behind, Maura and Jane would have the best time of their life; Maura would make sure of it.

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**Please please please pleasee review. my writing is a lot slower paced at the minute, its been a while since i wrote anything so bear with it and i promise to improve :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Just a shortish one, enjoy :)**

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The Hotel Centurion Palace lay on the edge of Venice's Grand Canal; it was a huge classical building taking its imposing place in the Venice skyline. Jane felt entirely out of place as she stepped into the foyer, carrying all the bags she felt more like a valet than a guest. Maura seemed naturally at ease in this world, standing side by side with a crowd of tanned, stylish and European jet setters.

Maura spent several minutes talking to the clerk, Jane guessed it must have been in Italian but she had no idea. Jane stood idly in the middle of the foyer as Maura approached beaming with two key cards in hand.

"We're on the top floor, I requested it specifically it has the most amazing views of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute", Maura spoke with enthusiasm as she directed Jane towards the lifts. A bell boy quickly approached and relieved Jane of the bags, she was reluctant to hand over her belongings but Maura seemed okay with it so she went it. The elevator ride was short and silent, the lift was only small and Jane felt quite claustrophobic, the ding signalling their arrival was a welcome sound and Jane was first out of the elevator. Maura led the way down the spacious hallway to the very end, Jane was rife with anticipation as Maura opened the door and held it for the bellboy. Jane was last in and was immediately speechless.

The room was huge, bigger than her own apartment. They had entered into what must have been the lounge; it was full of ornate and antiquated furniture. The whole room was bathed in natural light from the wide bay windows running the length of the far wall. After Jane had taken in the decadence of their hotel room she came back to the present and realised the bellboy had gone and Maura was waiting patiently for her first reaction. Jane wasn't quite sure what to say.

"This is amazing Maura, Have you seen the view. How have you afforded this? It must have cost hundreds" Jane had moved to the window as she spoke, gesturing emphatically to everything beautiful in the room.

"I have some money Jane and when my parents came to visit me in hospital they said they would send me off somewhere for some recuperation, so I've only really paid for you", Maura joined Jane at the window as they both looked out over Venice in its early evening haze.

"Well that makes me feel much better; this hotel is so posh I am scared to touch anything in case I break it. I've never gone on holiday to anywhere like this before it's a bit of a culture shock" Jane didn't want Maura to feel like she didn't appreciate everything she had done but this was a big deal for her.

"Look Jane, I know I have spent a lot of money on this holiday but there are something's that are more important than money. I am not trying to make you feel out of your comfort zone or show off; I'm trying to show you how much you mean to me. This is meant to be a time for us to recover from everything that has happened and to really get to know each other and our new relationship, so I will not have any more of this 'it's all too much money' nonsense. You give me so much, this is the least I can do to repay you" Maura was out of breath when she finished speaking and Jane was finding It hard to dispute anything she said, maybe she was just being difficult because she hadn't contributed much; Jane decided she would forget about everything and concentrate on Maura, who clearly needed her full attention.

Jane decided to change the subject and focus on the next few weeks, "so what's good to do in Venice" Jane settled in the luxurious couch in the centre of the room, followed closely by Maura who took her usual place snuggled into Jane's side.

"Well, there are hundreds of cafes and Bistro's and lots of boutique shops. I know that's not really your thing so we could see some historical landmarks and of course we will have to take a trip on a Gondola down the Grand Canal", Jane watched and listened to Maura intently as she continued to speak. She couldn't help but notice how passionately Maura spoke about the city, clearly thinking about all her past experiences. Jane couldn't wait to get started. When Maura finally finished her long list of locations and sights to see Jane had to lean forward and kiss her, at first the kiss was loving and tame but soon the heat in the room began to rise and Jane was quickly lost in Maura who has moved slightly, becoming almost unbearably close to Jane. Minutes passed and the two of them remained intertwined in each other.

...

Maura could barely remember to breathe when she and Jane were in this sort of compromising position, a small part of her thought this might be the time things would progress further than before. But to her disappointment she felt the familiar sensation of Jane pulling away from her. Maura was at a loss, they had reached this point countless times before and at the exact same stage Jane backed off, changing the subject or removing herself from the situation entirely.

Maura made the split second decision to voice her concerns to Jane, she knew she would have to be delicate in her phrasing; Jane would no doubt become a figurative rabbit in the headlights.

"Jane, I thought that maybe we could move forward with the level of intimacy in our relationship" Maura watched Jane closely; clearly she didn't understand what she meant. It took her a few seconds to realise what Maura was suggesting.

"What right now?" Jane spoke with hesitation and a new found shyness in her voice.

"No Jane, Just in the near future. I'm ready but don't feel like I'm rushing you" Maura decided to take the softly softly approach.

"Erm I'll think about it and get back to you", Maura was shocked at Jane's response and truth be told was pretty upset. She made her excuses and left Jane taking refuge in their large bathroom, she began to run a bath.

As she undressed and looked at herself in the full length mirror, she traced the scar on her stomach and felt a familiar insecurity return to her; maybe she was right, Jane couldn't stand the thought of being with her. This time she couldn't convince herself she was being ridiculous and sat stewing in the bath on her own.

….

Jane could tell she had upset Maura with what she had said. The entire conversation had caught her off guard so she just blurted out whatever came to mind.

She wasn't quite sure how to put into words how she was feeling about that aspect of their relationship yet and she definitely wasn't ready to talk about it. It hurt her to know she wasn't being completely honest with Maura but at the moment there was no other way to avoid revealing her own insecurities, so she remained sat in the living room on her own knowing for a fact that the love of her life was in the other room probably formulating all sorts of ludicrous theories as to why Jane couldn't move forward. Jane knew she only had herself to blame.

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**Please review :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hope this is okay.**

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The sun was setting when the pair got back from their private Gondola ride. Jane had tried especially hard today to be extra specially nice to Maura. She could tell from the moment they had got up Maura was being different. They had chatted and laughed like they usually did but Jane could sense that below the surface something was bothering Maura, Jane knew exactly what it was but didn't dare approach the subject. There was something missing between them all day, that spark that Jane so loved. Maybe she would talk about it; it had caused their relationship to shift into something she didn't quite recognize.

Maura had suggested they eat at the hotel tonight and was currently seeing about reservations whilst Jane sat in one of the comfy seats dotted about the foyer. She was looking back out the main entrance and over the waters of the Grand Canal; the sun was low and shone brightly. As she sat enjoying the warmth on her face trying to figure out what she would say to Maura to justify herself someone came into view, their silhouette blocked the sun and Jane had to squint.

"Jane! I thought it was you, I didn't know you were staying here ", Jane finally made out the face of the person and to her surprise it was someone familiar.

"Anna! Hi. Yeah, didn't I mention that on the plane?" Jane stood from the chair standing level with Anna.

"No you failed to mention it. This is great, can I ask you a favour?", Anna placed her hand on Jane's arm and following her discussion with Maura she moved away slowly faking an itch that needed scratching.

"Sure, go ahead", Jane was a bit wary agreeing to do someone a favour who she had only just met but went with it; she didn't want to seem rude.

"I'm heading out to the Hotel gym in a little while, I'm all alone would you be interested in coming along?", Jane was quite keen on the idea; it had been a while since she had had a proper exercise.

"Oh yeah, that would be great. But Maura is making us reservations I'm not sure if there will be enough time" the only thing Jane was worried about was Maura's reaction.

"Well I am going in about twenty minutes. We shouldn't be gone more than an hour I am not that fit", Anna chuckled to herself and Jane decided it would be good to get away for an hour and think about the talk she was going to have with Maura at dinner.

"I'm sure it will be fine then, I will meet you here in twenty minutes", Anna smiled at her decision and rushed off towards the elevators. Jane returned to her previous position but didn't get chance to sit as Maura approached.

...

"Was that that woman from the plane?", this was the last thing Maura needed. She had spent the whole day trying to be her usual self and not reveal her underlying tension.

"Erm yeah it was, she's staying here too", Maura could sense a hesitation in Jane's voice.

Maura just hummed in acknowledgment and made her way into the elevator. Jane was oddly fidgeting on their way up to their floor, this meant one of two things; 1) she was eager to do something or 2) there was something she wanted to tell Maura.

They entered their room and Maura relaxed immediately into the couch waiting for Jane to voice whatever was bothering her.

"How long till our reservations Maura?", here it's comes…

"About two hours Jane, why?" Maura felt like she probably wasn't going to like what Jane was going to say.

"Anna asked me if I wanted to go to the gym with her, I'll only be gone for an hour and a bit", Jane was clearly trying to make a quick getaway as she headed towards the bedroom without waiting for Maura's response.

"Wait a minute Jane, when are you planning on getting ready for dinner?" Maura felt herself getting angry; she wasn't going to let Jane get away with this.

"Well, I don't take as long as you. I only need half an hour" Jane offered an uneasy smile as she spoke, returning back to the centre of the room.

"Okay, we'll just be late for dinner", Maura wanted to stop before she resorted to a full blown argument she felt brewing.

"I am not going to make us late Maura, when have I ever made us late?", Maura knew instantly that was a dig at her.

"Just go to the Gym Jane, I'll stay here and wait for you like I always do", Maura stood and moved to the balcony; she desperately needed fresh air to cool her head. She sensed Jane moving in the same direction but keeping her distance.

"What is that supposed to mean? Are you being like this because of who I am going to the gym with or because…", Jane stopped shouting abruptly causing Maura to turn round.

"Or because what Jane?", Maura moved closer to Jane; her arms were tightly folded in front of her and her resolve was weakened slightly seeing Jane's forlorn expression; nonetheless she wasn't going to back down.

"It doesn't matter, I've got to go", Jane headed with a slouch towards the bedroom; clearly she wasn't up for talking.

"That's it Jane, make your excuses and leave like you always do", Maura had never been so mad at Jane. She did however feel a bit scared when she saw Jane stop and pause, turning slowly to face her. Maura expected anger and more shouting but was instead confronted with a seemingly woeful Jane, this surprised her. This wasn't a very 'Jane' reaction.

"You really think I do that?", Jane practically whispered. Maura couldn't bring herself to answer and instead headed back out onto the Balcony regretting what she had said.

After a few minutes she heard the door close softly, signally Jane's departure from the apartment. All she wanted to do was go after her but if she did that Jane would never find the strength to talk to her about the things that mattered.

….

An hour and a half after their argument, Jane was walking with Anna back from a nearby Café. Upon seeing a rather dejected Jane, she had suggested they go get some coffee instead. Now they were walking slowly back to the hotel, coffee's in hand.

"So, she's mad at you because you might be late for dinner but you think it's because of everything that has happened over the past three months and she blames you for it", Jane listened intently to Anna who was repeating Jane's explanation given to her over the past hour. Jane simply nodded so Anna continued, "it might help me to understand what exactly the problem is if you told me a little bit about this big thing that happened".

Jane chuckled to herself solemnly, "if I told you everything that had happened you would not believe me".

"I think you would rather not talk about it so I will change the subject", Jane appreciated the break until Anna asked her next personal question. "What happened to your arm?", Jane looked down at her bare forearm. The pink burn scar was clearly visible against her paler skin; she hadn't done a good job of hiding it.

"Ha well, that's something you wouldn't probably believe", Jane hoped that the conversation would end there; she wasn't in the mood to revisit her past with a nearly complete stranger.

"Try me" Anna offered her a smile, Jane couldn't decide if she was being nosey or was trying to help.

"Okayyy, well I was blown up", Jane realised how ridiculous that sounded when she said it. Anna actually stopped walking for a moment before they continued on their way.

"I think you need to elaborate", they shared a chaste laugh and Jane continued.

"Well, me and Maura were being targeted by this man who planted a bomb in the cabin where we were hiding. It went off and I was caught up in it", Jane could tell Anna wasn't expecting her story. "And that was the most run of the mill thing that has happened to us in the past few months".

"Wow, that's certainly not what I was expecting", Anna finally replied. They carried on walking for a few minutes in relative silence until Jane spoke.

"That's enough about me, why are you visiting Venice?", Jane decided to follow a personal question with a personal question.

"Well I don't have a story nearly as interesting as yours. I'm originally from Venice, when I was a teenager my father got into some trouble and sent me and my brothers away because we were in some danger. That was nearly twenty years ago now and my father is very ill so I came back to see him", Jane was surprised; she had misjudged this woman. At first glance Anna was just another glamorous European traveller spending her time globetrotting from extravagant hotel to extravagant hotel. When really she was a woman simply visiting and caring for her ailing father.

"Wow, I wasn't expecting that. Did you settle in Boston?", Jane found Anna very curious; she couldn't quite put her finger on the thing that was bothering her about her.

"Yes, me and my brothers moved with our mother to the city", after she spoke Anna looked over to the jetty outside the hotel and frowned.

"What's wrong?", Jane followed her stare to the jetty but didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

"That man on the jetty, I am sure I recognise him from somewhere", Anna shook her head. "I'm just being silly, it's been twenty years but I'm still seeing villains everywhere".

"Sounds like trust issues to me", Jane tried to comfort her. The man was on his own, probably just waiting for a boat; she saw no danger surrounding him.

"Well I don't know, I think I trust you", they were nearing the hotel now; only 100 yards away.

"Fool", Jane retorted and they both laughed wholeheartedly.

As they drew closer to the main entrance, Jane took a second look at the man. He was probably a few years older than her and clearly Italian. He moved when she caught him looking at them and she was sure she could see a bulge in his jacket similar to that created by the presence of a gun. Jane looked out over the canal and saw a speedboat slowing down to come level with the jetty. The Italian man acknowledged the driver but didn't climb in; something didn't quite add up in Jane's head. She didn't react quickly enough though and make her reservations known.

The Italian man made his move taking out a gun and grabbing Anna. Jane's instincts kicked in and her hand went to her hip but of course nothing was there.

The Italian man had been joined by the man from the boat who took Anna forcibly knocking her over the head and dropping her into the car. Jane went to move after the pair but found a gun shoved in her face.

"Don't be a hero", the man had a thick Italian accent and English clearly wasn't his first language.

"What do you want with her?", Jane was caught between the fear of the situation and her police training.

"I don't think that is your business, you forget what you have seen or I will personally come and visit you and your little girlfriend", the man had moved right into Jane's face as he spoke; his breath smelt of cigars and wine. He pressed the gun into her forehead head. "Well?", he kept the pressure on her waiting for a response.

Now wasn't the time to start an argument with a man with a gun so Jane bit her lip and kept her reply short. "Okay, okay I won't say anything', Jane didn't get a chance to say anything else as he pulled the gun away, for a second she thought she was safe until he spun round hitting her in the side of the head with his gun. Everything went black and she felt herself falling.

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**Please review, I would really like some feedback because I'm not too sure how this is going.**


	5. Chapter 5

**There will be more chapters to this but not until a week from Saturday. I have a field trip to go on and no internet to keep up with posts. I promise to write whilst i am away and post as soon as i get back.**

**From the reviews i have got, people seem to be hating Jane. She has been through a lot people give her time to recover :P**

**Hope this is okay x**

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Jane woke up feeling extremely disorientated. The last thing she remembered was getting coffee with Anna and now she was being blinded by a bright light shining in her face. She instinctively tried to move her head and get away from the light and it was at this point that Jane realised her head hurt bad; so she lay back and surveyed her surroundings. It didn't take her long to figure out she was in yet another hospital surrounded by Italian speaking nurses and doctors; they were poking and prodding her but had backed off since she had woken up.

Before long Jane was sat up with a rather large Italian nurse leant over her stitching a wound on her forehead. Jane observed she felt quite calm, to her relief she had begun to remember everything about what had happened.

When she looked up she found Maura standing in the doorway. They looked at each other for a moment, Jane trying to figure out how this was going to go but Maura gave up nothing. Jane suddenly had the urge to shout out all the things that were bothering her, she had come close to death again and she knew she had been being an ass recently. This was only Maura, before everything that happened she could talk to Maura about anything; she almost smiled when she realised it had taken yet another bump on the head for her to realise how stupid she was boring.

"Maura, I…" Jane didn't get chance to finish as Maura spoke over her.

"So you remember me then. How do you always manage to get into trouble? Even when we're thousands of miles away from everything you still manage it", Maura spoke with a slightly angry tone.

"Of course I remember you Maura. I think it finds me to be honest", Jane tried to be jovial when she spoke but Maura wasn't impressed.

"What happened?", Maura cut straight to the point.

"Anna was taken by some men in a boat. She said she thought she recognised one of them. Then one of them hit me and I don't remember anything else", she waited patiently for Maura to reply.

"There is a man from Interpol outside, he wants to talk to you", Maura wasn't giving Jane an ounce of sympathy; she didn't deserve it after how she had acted recently.

"Okay, send him in", Jane would deal with Maura later. The nurse had left with Maura leaving Jane alone in the room. Jane suddenly found herself very conflicted, the man on the jetty had threatened her and Maura; should she tell this Interpol man the truth or should she lie and say she didn't remember? She definitely wasn't prepared to put Maura in any danger after everything that has happened but Anna was got knows where in serious trouble. Did she owe this stranger the same consideration as her Maura?

Her thought process was disturbed by the man entering; she would decide when it came to it. The man was probably in his 40's with a typical 'cop' look; trench coat and a cheap suit. He made his way to the foot of the bed before speaking.

"I am Remy Mercier with Interpol, how are you feeling?", he spoke very good English and Jane could identify his country of origin. He flashed his ID at her as he spoke.

"Jane Rizzoli, I'm alright bit of a headache though", she knew what he was going to ask before he did.

"Could you tell me what happened this afternoon?", Maura had come back into the room as he moved to the side of the bed to ask his question. Jane hesitated before she spoke, she felt herself going to speak.

"I really don't remember anything much, me and Anna were walking back from getting coffee and then I don't know. I woke up here", she glanced over at Maura quickly who frowned slightly.

The Interpol man was clearly deflated by her lack of information for him. "Okay, I will give you my information and maybe arrange a proper interview for when you are feeling better" he handed her his card and then left, nodding at Maura before heading out of the room.

The silence was palpable between her and Maura, Jane decided to speak first. "I need to talk to you Maura", Jane nearly whispered.

"Go ahead", clearly Jane hadn't been such an ass to complete push Maura away.

"I am very aware of the fact that I have been completely not myself recently and you deserve an explanation", Jane sat up more and Maura moved further into the room.

"You think?", Jane could clearly see Maura was mad at her.

"Ever since everything happened; me getting shot and losing my memory. I feel different, less sure of myself I guess and I think it's because I made so many bad choices in the last six months that I've lost who I was before. I feel 100% responsible for what happened, to me and you. I should have listened to you that day when you told me to wait for Korsak and Frost; I should have been open with you about how I felt instead of trying to push you away. There so many things I should have done and the things I did do led to you being nearly killed. I'm finding it hard to deal with the guilt of it all. I am not telling you so that you can make me feel better about it, I'm telling you because you deserve to know how I feel" Maura was quiet for a long time after Jane had finished speaking. She didn't look up at her or give any kind of sign as to what she was thinking. After a few deadly silent minutes Maura finally spoke.

"I understand what you're saying Jane but I have never given you the impression I blame you for anything. We both made bad decisions but we're here now, alive and finally together, and you're wasting it. Can I ask you a question?" Maura finally looked up at Jane. The severe expression on her face had eased slightly. Jane nodded when Maura's finally made eye contact with her. "Why haven't we had sex yet?", Jane could never describe Maura as anything but blunt. This was definitely the conversation Jane dreaded most and collected herself before speaking.

"I am worried that I am not good enough for you", Jane saw Maura frown again at her revelation.

"That is ridiculous Jane, all I have ever done is tell you how beautiful you are and you know I can't lie", Maura's demeanour changed Jane could only describe it as relief.

"I know it's just when I look at myself all I see is scars and ugly reminders of everything that has happened. I am scared to let you see the real me to be honest", Jane couldn't look Maura in the eye as she spoke; she had a hard time getting the words out.

"But the scars are what make you who you are; they show what you've been through and lived through. They're something to be proud of", Maura got up from the chair at Jane's bedside and stood beside her as she spoke. Jane wanted to reach out and take her hand but wasn't sure if Maura would let her. "Do you not think I'm scared too? How you've been acting makes me think all you see when you look at me is damaged goods and another ugly reminder of all the mistakes you've made", Jane was surprised to hear that the usual self-confident Maura had been worried about the same things as her.

"We're being silly aren't we? I can't believe I have been so stupid, I don't understand why you even came here", Jane knew that even if Maura forgave her she definitely didn't deserve it.

"I love you Jane, for some bizarre reason. You are my whole life. I knew something was bothering you and I was just so frustrated that you wouldn't talk to me. I thought everything was different since before your amnesia and I was worried you were still stuck there", Maura smiled shyly as she spoke. They were both visibly relieved at what had come of their conversation and what had been revealed. Jane felt as though a weight had been lifted. At this point she took Maura's hand, who grasped it tightly in return. Everything was going to be okay between them, Maura gave Jane the courage to see it through.

Jane suddenly remembered everything else that was happening. Anna had taken and Jane had lied. Maura must have sensed her tension as she kissed her lovingly on the forehead causing Jane to wince slightly because of the cut but she welcomed the contact.

"I have one more question Jane", Maura spoke calmly as she leant back from Jane. She looked up at her expectantly waiting for it.

"Why did you lie to the man from Interpol?", Jane panicked; of course Maura picked up on it, in that moment Jane chose to tell the truth, she was never going to lie to Maura again.

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**As always, please review. I love both criticism and praise (more so praise lol) **

**x**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it's been so long since I posted, I have been so busy with university.**

**Forgive this chapter its a bit rubbish but I needed to just remind myself of the story and get back into it.**

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It was all too much. The sun was blinding and Jane could feel the heat of it on her face. She lay there paralyzed on the jetty, watching helplessly as Anna disappeared into the distance. Jane was overcome with guilt as she was powerless to stop them. The fear in Anna's face as it grew smaller was playing over and over again in her head. She was desperately trying to move or do something to stop this from happening again. Panic was setting in and the Italian man from the jetty was right in her face, threatening her with his gun in her face. Jane could hear the boats engine whirring and Anna whimpering and the man shouting in her face, threatening to murder her.

Suddenly he was gone and she could move again, she stood and followed his wet footprints back into the hotel and before she knew it she was outside her and Maura's room. The door open just a crack, Jane saw a flash of movement but no noise. She pushed the door open slowly, looking around slowly. The only sound was the loud thumping of her heart in her ears. Jane was at the bedroom door reaching for the handle which felt ice cold under her grip. She opened the door quickly, falling to her knees upon seeing inside the room.

Maura lay motionless and cold in the center of the bed surrounded by debris and pillow feathers. She had tried to fight her attacker off. Jane crawled towards the bed through the broken furniture and torn clothes. A single stab wound had cut a bloody path through Maura's abdomen, the scene was strangely familiar and Jane found her own chest hurting, she could hear herself crying and wailing because she had finally done it, Maura was dead. Jane looked down at her hands, they were covered in blood and in her right was the knife still wet with Maura's blood. Suddenly there was a noise from the living room and Jane was running, chasing a shadow down the hallway with the knife still in her hand. She caught the person and lashed out violently and then she felt herself falling for what seemed like an eternity. The shadow had revealed a face and Jane found herself staring back at her.

She landed with a thud on the floor, waking up with a yell. It took her a few seconds to adjust to the darkness. To her relief she found herself in the hotel bedroom lying on the floor with a very alive Maura looking at her over the edge of the bed with a look of concern and a hint of fear. It had all been a dream.

Taking in a few deep breaths to calm herself and quiet the beating in her ears, she realised Maura was shouting at her. She remained on the floor as she felt frozen after the shock of her dream.

"Jane, what's wrong? JANE! You are scaring me", Maura had come round the bed to where Jane was laying. Bending down beside her, she nearly shook some sense into her before Jane finally spoke.

"Sorry for waking you, I had a bad dream", Jane knew Maura was going to question her so she got up from the floor not taking Maura's outstretched hand for help.

"A bad dream? You were crying in your sleep Jane and thrashing about, I have been trying to wake you up for the past 5 minutes and you kept fighting me off", Maura still looked very worried.

"I'm sorry Maura. That doesn't usually happen when I have a nightmare", Jane was walking out of the bedroom. She knew Maura was following her but she had to try and get away from her penetrating gaze.

"What was the nightmare about?", Maura stood with her arms folded as Jane got a bottle of water from the mini-fridge. Jane pondered whether she should tell her, she did tell herself she wasn't going to lie to Maura again.

"It was just the kidnapping, I was just reliving it", Jane thought that would be enough for Maura to back off; but she was wrong.

"But I wasn't there when Anna was kidnapped", Maura unfolded her arms and sat down on the couch opposite Jane; her expression told Jane she was definitely not going to drop this. In the hospital after Jane had been knocked out she had told Maura everything that had happened; except the vital piece of information that the kidnapper threatened them both. If Maura found out now she knew she would force Jane into telling the Interpol detective everything and probably feel offended that Jane had thought she needed protecting like this. Jane sighed; she knew she would have to tell her, Maura had a right to know if she was in danger.

"There's something I didn't tell you about what happened on the jetty, it's to do with why I didn't tell the detective what had happened", Jane watched Maura closely but she was giving nothing away as she intently listened; Jane took this as a sign to continue. "The kidnapper threatened me and told me not to say anything or he would be back to pay me a visit", Jane saw Maura's eyes narrow as she opened her mouth to speak.

"But you get threatened all the time at work that's never stopped you even if I wished it did sometimes. I still don't understand how this involves me still", Maura was leant forward now. Jane decided to continue.

"He threatened you as well. He knew we were both staying here and he called you my girlfriend so he must have been watching us", Jane looked away from Maura; she felt like a child who had been naughty and her ma had found out.

"Jane, there is someone's life on the line. You should do what is right like you always do. I don't want you to feel like you have to protect me, I should be used to being in danger by now", Jane grew almost angry at Maura's cavalier tone. She knew she was going to say something she might regret or reveal something she didn't want to talk about but she couldn't stop herself.

"That is exactly it! All I ever do is put you in harm's way. Ever since I met you, like the time in warehouse with paddy Doyle and Hoyt, when he attacked us in the prison and nearly cut your throat and in that abandoned building when you saved my life and nearly got yourself killed. All these times I have not been able to protect you I thought this time I could finally keep you out of danger" Jane was surprised to feel herself crying she stole a glance at Maura who seemed speechless, "I wasn't just reliving the kidnap in my dream, it was that night again when you were stabbed. This time I couldn't get to you in time and you were dead, the knife was in my hand and I had done it", Jane felt Maura's hands clasp around her own tightly. She looked up through watery eyes and saw Maura was in a similar state.

"But you didn't do it, you were right there and you got me the help I needed. None of what happened was your fault. I made my own decisions which had consequences and i would not change anything that happened to me. So man up, move on and help the police find Anna", Jane couldn't help but smile at Maura's outburst. It did make her feel better, maybe she should move on and focus on the now.

"Are you sure you want to do this all again? The fear and the danger", Jane decided Maura should make this decision. She could tell Maura was thinking about it but she knew what Maura was going to say.

"Call the detective tomorrow and tell him everything. I'll be here for you, always" Maura stood kissing Jane softly on the forehead and taking one hand, guiding her to stand also.

When they were facing each other, Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's neck and hugged her tightly. Jane and Maura would face this together no matter what happened.

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**Please review, I need criticism to improve lol**


	7. Chapter 7

"… then I hit the ground and the next thing I know I am waking up in hospital", Jane was just finishing up with the Interpol detective, Maura was sat next to Jane on the couch holding her hand for support. She observed the detectives face closely, he wasn't giving anything away. He paused for a moment, finishing up on his notes, before he spoke.

"Thank you Detective, how long will you be in the country? Just in case we need your help identifying suspects?" the detective was standing and putting his notepad away, getting ready to leave.

"Erm, we are leaving in 5 days I think", Maura nodded in agreement with Jane's statement and stood herself to show the detective out. She didn't let go of Jane's hand until she was out of reach. Jane smiled up at her, she seemed relieved. Her frown lines had relaxed and her shoulders were no longer hunched up. Maura finally took her eyes off of Jane and ushered the detective towards the front door.

The detective was silent as she opened the door for him; he crossed the threshold into the hotel hallway before turning to speak.

"Dr Isles, I have been doing some research into Detective Rizzoli and it brought up her recent condition. I have a few concerns which I was hoping you could offer some reassurance", he spoke quietly clearly unsure whether this would be a touchy subject. Maura reasoned that if he knew about Jane he had probably delved into her recent past as well. She decided that she wasn't going to give up any information without ascertaining what he already knew.

"To what condition are you referring detective?" Maura closed the door slightly and folded her arms; hopefully he would get the message that his invasion of their privacy was not welcome.

"Her recent amnesia, I am concerned that her memory may be affected and she will be unable to give me reliable information", he looked her right in the eye as he spoke with his voice still lowered. Maura took a few moments before she spoke, collecting her thoughts so she answered appropriately.

"Jane has fully recovered from her injuries her mental deficit has resolved itself and both her long and short term memory is no longer affected", she kept her reply short not wanting to reveal her anger at his accusations.

"Thank detective Rizzoli for her cooperation and I may need to speak to her again if the case develops, will that be a problem?" he finally turned away from her to head down the hall, to her relief her answer had obviously sufficed.

"I am sure that's fine. You know where to find us", he simply nodded and walked back towards the elevators. Maura made sure he was actually catching the elevator before she headed back into the apartment, taking a few moments to think about what he had said. She hadn't exactly asked Jane if she had fully recovered from her amnesia, she was her old self again but maybe there was something different about her.

Maura headed back into the living room, Jane was no longer sat in the living room where she had left her so she checked the bedroom.

Inside she found Jane lying on her back on the bed with one arm held over her eyes. Maura took of her shoes and placed them neatly beside the wardrobe before climbing onto the bed next to Jane. She lay on her side facing Jane, a few moments passed before Jane spoke making Maura jump as she thought she was asleep.

"You were a while at the door, I hope he wasn't badgering you", Jane didn't remove her arm as she spoke but held her free hand out for Maura to hold. Maura took her hand and squeezed it softly.

"No he was just asking if he could contact us here again, if he needs to that is", Jane just nodded after Maura answered her. Maura knew that Jane would be angry if she knew what the detective had said at the door before he left. She decided to change the subject, "is your head still hurting?"

"A little bit, yeah. But I'm just tired mostly", Jane finally took her arm from her face and rolled over to face Maura. "Anyway, now that's done with; what do you want to do today?" Maura smiled at Jane's enthusiasm even though she had only a few hours' sleep because of her nightmares. She decided they should have a relaxing day, just the two of them.

"Well I was thinking we could stay in today, get room service and watch some movies on pay per view", Maura had lifted herself up on her elbows and with hand brushed a stray curl of hair from Jane's face. Jane smiled warmly through hooded tired eyes and was clearly pleased with Maura's suggestion.

"That sounds amazing Maura, we will go out tomorrow through and you can show me all your favourite things about the city", Jane sat up and started to remove her clothes; this puzzled Maura.

"What are you doing?" she couldn't take her eyes off Jane. She wasn't sure if Jane had ever been this comfortable around Maura before.

"Well I'm not lounging around in my jeans, you should get changed too Maura. You do know how to dress for a lazy day, don't you doctor?" Maura jokingly threw a pillow at Jane; who laughed and caught it.

Maura jumped up and decided to put on some stretchy yoga pants and a loose t-shirt. Suddenly she felt self-conscious; this was a new feeling for her. She didn't want to feel like it around Jane who was now seemingly completely comfortable around Maura. She threw caution and her feeling towards the wind and removed her top in one movement. She had her back to Jane but wanted to see what Jane's reaction would be to her in this state.

"What film do you want to watch?" Maura turned to face Jane and busied herself picking out a t-shirt. She saw Jane look up at her but didn't meet her eye for a few more moments. To her surprise when she looked up at Jane, she saw lust and not the disgust she was half expecting. "Jane, what's wrong?" Maura's worries were finally put at rest in that moment. Maybe tonight would be the night for her and Jane. Finally Jane closed her mouth and looked up at Maura's face, making eye contact.

"Erm I don't mind. It's up to you Maura", Jane pulled on her top and sat back down on the edge of the bed turning herself to half face Maura. Maura finally decided on a t-shirt and pulled it on. Feeling a spur of bravery she knelt on the bed and made her way over to Jane, who watched her with a cheeky grin on her face. Upon reaching Jane she placed her hands on Jane's shoulders and held herself up straight on her knees. Jane made the next move; she quickly wrapped her arm around Maura's waist and using her weight to flip her down onto the bed. Maura couldn't help but giggle at the unexpected move of Jane. When she had stopped giggling she found Jane looking into her eyes with a more serious expression. Maura took the lead and leant forward off the bed, meeting Jane halfway in a kiss that grew rather passionate very quickly.

Maura forgot about everything and was completely wrapped up in Jane, her hands began to wonder and they soon found their way to the hem of Jane's t-shirt. She felt Jane lean into her further; clearly she had no problems with what Maura was doing. Her hands crept underneath Jane's t-shirt and begun their way up her stomach, not lingering in one place for very long before moving further up.

Just before Maura reached her goal, Jane withdrew and broke the kiss. She stood on her knees over Maura with a sly grin on her face. Maura returned to earth with a thud as she recovered from their encounter.

"I thought we were watching a film, Maura", she leant forward quickly and kissed Maura quickly before climbing off the bed. "I'll order us some room service", Jane backed out of the room without breaking eye contact with Maura.

Maura was completely surprised by Jane's behaviour, not only was she no longer reserved and shy around her when it came to being intimate but she was teasing Maura. Finally Maura dragged herself off the bed and followed Jane into the living room, she didn't know what the afternoon would have in store but she was pretty sure Jane had decided she was ready to take the next step in their relationship.

Jane was surprised by this new outlook she had, she was comfortable around Maura in a way that meant she could physically show how strongly she felt; it was a long time coming but she would take the lead tonight.

They had watched two films and had a very delicious dinner when Jane decided to get things moving. She took a seat very close to Maura and placed an arm around her shoulder; Maura turned towards her and wasted no time carrying on where she left off earlier.

Maura took the initiative this time and Jane found herself being led towards the bedroom. Next her t-shirt was stripped off and she felt Maura pull her flush against her body. Jane had always thought she would be the more dominant in the bedroom but she was pleasantly surprised. Then they fell into bed with a long night ahead of them.

It was 5am when Jane woke up; she was still riding the high from the night's events and could not wipe the smile off her face. She desperately needed a drink so reluctantly left a half-naked, snoring Maura in bed to get one. After pulling on her sweats and her t-shirt from earlier she tiptoed out into the living room.

It was a warm night so Jane headed out onto the balcony to take in the early morning haze over the city of Venice. For the first time in months Jane felt truly happy, she had never been particularly unhappy but there was this feeling of doubt and fear looming over her which she couldn't explain.

For some reason Jane looked down to the canal which was devoid of any of the usual traffic of gondolas and tourist boats. She followed the water round and in front of the hotel and that's when she saw him. It was quite dark but there was no mistaking the identity of the man looking up at her. The glow from his cigarette marked him out in the shadow and highlighted the sinister smile her wore on his face. Why was the kidnapper here? Had he come to pay that visit he promised?

Before Jane knew she was pulling on her shoes and racing out the hotel room, taking the stairs and sprinting across the lobby; much to the surprise of the night receptionist. When she reached the Jetty the man was gone, she was relieved at this. On her way down she hadn't exactly come up with a plan on what she would do if she actually caught up with him. She took one last look round whilst catching her breath but he was nowhere in sight.

When she turned back towards the hotel she spotted him, he was just disappearing around the corner of the building. Jane went to take pursuit again but changed her mind and stopped to think. If she chased after him what would happen? She didn't have a gun or back up, it was dark and she didn't know her way around Venice. Reluctantly she turned back into the hotel; she would not do something stupid again; maybe that would be the time she actually got herself killed and she would not do it to Maura again.

She took the elevator this time, spending the time thinking of how all she wanted to do was crawl into bed with Maura and sleep. She almost laughed to herself, before her and Maura were together she may have ran after him and chased the kidnapper all over the city; she was getting old.

Because Jane was deep in thought she did not notice anything was wrong until she went to open the door; it was already open. Maybe she didn't shut it when she ran out but she had remembered to grab her key so surely she shut it. She took a cautionary glance into the room through the crack in the door, her heart nearly stopped when she saw the scene inside. There was evidence of a struggle, a vase had been smashed and furniture upturned. There was no sign of Maura and no sound of any intruder. Jane was just about to enter the room when she heard movement behind her and she braced herself for what was going to come…

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**I am doing exam's at the minute so i will start posting properly in about a week.**

**hope this is okay I'm still trying to get back into this story.**

**please review, I would like to know what you think even if it is just one word. **

**till next time :) **


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